The Price
by Queen Serenity
Summary: It was done... but what was the point? She was the only one left...


**Title: The Price**

**Fandom: Inuyasha**

**Stars: The Shikon Jewel**

**Summary: It was done... but what was the point? She was the only one left...**

**Author: Queen Serenity**

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but the story.**

_**Title: The Price**_

_**Author: Queen Serenity**_

_**Fandom: Inuyasha**_

_**Chapter: Only**_

_Imagine if you were walking one night, and you came upon a stranger who looked both young and yet ageless, with eyes that looked as though they had lived for thousands of years…_

It was done.

_The stranger makes you an offer, and you know that it is a true offer, that it is not a trick… what they offer you is your dreams, whatever they might be; whether it be growing up to be successful as a doctor or actress, or to live in a castle at the center of a magickal labyrinth with a fae king at your side…_

But what was it for? She was the only one left.

_But it would all come with a price…_

Shippou had been the first to die, unsurprisingly. Naraku had sent his own personal demon-slayer, Kohaku, after them all, and Sango had been unable to get there in time to stop him from killing the little fox. She had, however, gotten there in time to kill her own little brother.

That night, Sango took her own life as well, and another left their number.

_To some, the price would seem to be nothing…_

Miroku lost his will to live after that. He still fought alongside them, but the fire had gone from his eyes; he died after a careless mistake in a battle with Kagura…

_To others, the price would be immense…_

In the end, Inuyasha lost his life to someone he'd trusted. Naraku had offered Kikyou something which she couldn't say no to; true life, instead of living as the undead thing she was now. And so it was one her arrows which killed Inuyasha.

_But with all, the price was something that could never, ever be replaced…_

And so Kagome was alone. She began to study through an ancient book of miko spells that had been passed down along mikos for years, and had now belonged to Kaede. Once she found the perfect spell, Kagome began to train and hone her powers with the old priestess.

_The price would be your memories. All of them. You'd gain your dreams, but you wouldn't remember your self or life or friends from before the dream._

Towards the end of her training, demons sent by Naraku began to attack, wanting the jewel shards held by Kagome. It was Kouga who showed up with the remnants of his pack to protect her, and that is how they died.

_Because of this, you wouldn't even know that what you were now living would be your dreams…_

Kagome cast her spell, and went out to a field to wait. It wasn't long before Kagura showed up. Before the wind sorceress could even attack, Kagome surrendered herself, along with her jewel, not even having her quiver and arrows.

Kagura took the girl and the jewel to where her master was waiting. The reborn miko told Naraku that she was tired… she was just so tired of fighting. She didn't even know what she was fighting for, anymore. So she held out her hand, the jewel piece nestled innocently in her palm.

"Take it. Please, end this so that I may finally rest."

Naraku reached out his hand, and as soon as his fingers brushed the jewel, it was ended. The spell which Kagome has cast upon the jewel purified Naraku, casting all of the demons out of his body. All that was left was his severed head, and the battle was over, the incarnations eliminated along with Naraku.

_And so the question is…_

With the now-whole jewel, a wish could now be made. But what to wish for? Kagome knew. She knew what to wish for, and she spoke the wish deep within her heart…

"…I wish that the human Onigumo had been killed in the explosion…"

A mortal Kikyou met up with Inuyasha, and the jewel was used to make him human, so that they could live in love together…

Shippou lived happily with his father, since the Thunder brothers never attacked the father for the jewel shard he possessed.

Miroku's ancestor was never cursed, and so his hand was normal. He was still quite lecherous, though, and eventually would come upon a demon slayer village where he'd meet Sango.

_Would you take the offer?_

And Kagome lived as a normal schoolgirl. She had a sweet boyfriend named Hojo, and got excellent grades in most of her classes. Her only problem was that she always had these really weird dreams where she was in the past, dreams which would mostly disappear upon wakening. And those dreams would leave her feeling as though she was forgetting something very important.

Like she was trying to remember something that wasn't there…

_Would you pay the price?_

**QS: Wow, I've been in the weirdest of moods lately, writing two one-shots (this and The Lily, which I would appreciate if you'd check out and review) and a completely unplanned fic, "Body, Mind, and Soul". Still, I think I did OK on this. Thanks. BTW, this won't be continued, because it is simply a one-shot.**


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